calgary

So, my topic this month for the Live Out There Blog was "music that inspires you to get out there." Music has always been a huge part of my life, in addition to—and in conjunction with—travelling. There are certain songs that make me feel like I'm almost going back in time to the start of certain adventures. The early morning cheese wagon to Kananaskis Country in high school, for our Outdoor Education class trips. Tossing a jumble of snowboard boots, poles and skis into the back of my SUV for a late night, last-minute[...]

So, recently, I was added to the roster of guest bloggers for the Calgary-based outdoor gear company Live Out There. I've been really excited at the prospect of going and doing more outdoorsy things, and being able to share photos and insight from these experiences. First up was an "outdoor cooking" adventure, where I endeavoured to make a camp-friendly pad thai dish. Despite having my doubts, the process was relatively painless and the recipe turned out great. Check out the full story—including the recipe and insp[...]

The John Scott All-Star saga lives on. Mitch Albom—of Tuesdays with Morrie fame—came out victorious in a bidding war for the rights to develop a film based on Scott's life. I've covered my thoughts on the whole All-Star game debacle before, and I think it would be a great underdog story. Plus, some of the casting suggestions on BarDown's Twitter are plain cheeky. Read more about it on Sportsnet here. I signed up for a half-marathon. I literally just did this and now I'm asking myself: wait, how long do[...]

On Wednesday night, my date and I attended Avenue Magazine's 13th Annual Best Restaurants Awards. This was the first year they've made it a public event, and I can never turn down an invitation to try something new—so I knew I had to go! The 2016 "Tried & True" honourees prepared hors d'oeuvres, complete with wine pairings courtesy of Willow Park Wines & Spirits. I actually had a $75 gift card to Willow Park that I'd won at a tasting event I attended last year with my friend Katrina as well. So, I was very exci[...]